The Development of Soviet Foreign Policy Part II 1958-89. The Age of Gromyko.

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Presentation on theme: "The Development of Soviet Foreign Policy Part II 1958-89. The Age of Gromyko."— Presentation transcript:

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The Development of Soviet Foreign Policy Part II 1958-89. The Age of Gromyko

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Why 1958? Sino-Soviet dispute comes out into open because of Great Leap Forward [catch up and overtake Britain by date?, leap directly into Communism by 1981] Khrushchev becomes P.M. as well as First Secretary of the Party. Gives him protocol position to meet overseas leaders. Starts to make his own foreign policy

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Who was Gromyko? Graduate of Institute of economics, USSR Academy of sciences Joined CPSU 1931 Ambassador to USA 1943 Involved in founding of UN. USSR rep from 1946 Foreign Minister 1957-85 Politburo 1973 President 1985-88

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Who made foreign policy in this period? Gen./First Secretaries when they added wither Presidency or P.M. job to Party job: Stalin and Khrushchev P.M.s, Brezhnev and successors Presidents KGB head [Andropov after 1967] Military head Party Secretary for Defence Party secs for ruling and non-ruling parties Foreign Minister [but often an impementer] Ambassador to USA

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World Rev or National Interest Survival of State remains paramount in both approaches USSR deserves leadership of World Communist Bloc because of superior experience in building socialism Therefore USSR must survive Therefore Eastern Europe vital as cordon sanitaire, because threat comes from West

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World Rev or Nat interest ii After 1958, security challenge from China, but this also challenge to leadership of World Communist Movement Cuba then a new rev. challenge: a new Yugoslavia Czechoslovakia 1968: another challenge to Soviet model The Iranian revolution threatens whole of Central Asia, which is Moslem

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Detente Vietnamization 1969 Kissinger playing China and the USSR off against each other Brandt and Ostpolitik 1972 Nixon visits Moscow SALT 1 Brezhnev to Washington But nixon falls due to Watergate

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Why did the Soviets want détente? Demographic crisis meant had to replace people with technology Planned obsolescence and the consumer demand crisis Cost of weapons spiralling out of control If US could be prevented from using force, might be more successful revolutions Had to respond to Kissinger’s overtures to China Actually a major plank of Sov FP from Khrushchev to Gorbachov

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Eastern European and other dissent 1948 Yugoslavia cast into outer darkness Togliatti in Italy and revisionism 1953 east German riots 1956 Secret speech 1956 Hungary and Poland. End of Stalinism. Where now? 1958 Great Leap Forward: Rumanian dissidence starts: allies with China in Sino-Soviet split 1961 Cuba “Marxist-Leninist”. New model of revolution and socialism available

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More on dissent 1968 Tet offensive; Paris and Prague Springs, Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia. Brezhnev doctrine 1970 Allende wins presidential election in Chile 1970 more riots in Poland. Trouble now right through to 1989. Solidarnosc 1976 South Vietnam, Laos, Kampuchea, Angola, Mozambique and smaller states offer further new models 1978 Ethiopian Derg joins Sov bloc. Strategy of support for progressive forces vindicated